Comedian traveling across U.S. with bacon as only currency

Comedian-actor Josh Sankey has teamed up with Oscar Mayer in a bizarre bid: to travel across 12 American cities with their brand of bacon as his only form of currency. No cash, credit cards, debit or cheques. Only bacon, and lots of it.

The actor is currently said to be carrying over 3000 pounds of it in his travels. His two week journey, from New York to Los Angeles, may be followed here.

To find out if the popular meat is really worth its weight in gold, Sankey will have use the Oscar Mayer brand to barter for fuel, food and accommodation, in a promotion that's being called "The Great American Bacon Barter."

“I need your help. I’m driving from NY to LA with no cash and no cards – just a trailer full of Butcher Thick Cut Bacon to barter with you for food, lodging and everything else I need. It’s all to find out if America loves this bacon as much as money!” Sankey said of his trip.

At the same time Sankey is road tripping, Oscar Mayer announced they will also be releasing a new Butcher Thick Cut Bacon.

“There’s this fever for bacon in this country,” said Tom Bick, director for integrated marketing communications and advertising at Oscar Mayer in Madison, Wis.

Company execs are also calling the new bid they've formed with Sankey a new way of reaching out to its consumers, that goes beyond traditional advertising tactics.

“We have to think beyond the traditional means we’ve used,” Mr. Bick told The New York Times, “Shooting a commercial for $500,000 and airing it for $5 million.”

The promotion, by contrast, is costing “a couple hundred thousand dollars,” he added.